My Turn
by insomniac1970
Summary: Shinobu has had enough of Naru's abusive treatment of Keitaro. Can she protect the man she loves and get him to look at her? Rated T for some language and some adult situations.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**: This is my first one-shot and it happens to be from one of my favorite mangaverses: Love Hina. The first thing that I need to say about this wonderful story is that I cannot stand Narusegawa Naru. If an American girl did to a guy what she did to Keitaro she would be in jail. I always felt that Keitaro would have better off if he had chosen any other girl than Naru. This one-shot features everyone's favorite Kanrinrin and the only one of the girls to treat him like he was a person. Rated T for safety and language

**Disclaimer**: Love Hina is the property of Ken Akamatsu. I claim no ownership over the characters or setting

My Turn: A Love Hina Story

As she saw her dorm manager flying through the air for the umpteenth time, seventeen year old Maehara Shinobu thought to herself, 'What did she think that he did _this time_?' For the past four years, she had living in the Hinata-sou, which had been converted into a girls' dorm. Not too long after she joined the dorm, the owner's grandson, Urashima Keitaro, had arrived to take over as the manager. From his first day there was another housemate, Narusegawa Naru, that would send him flying if she perceived he was doing something perverted. 'And her perceptions are ALWAYS wrong,' Shinobu continued angrily in her mind.

Everyone believed that once Naru had started dating Keitaro that she would stop abusing him and become a good girlfriend. Everyone was wrong, especially Keitaro. Eventually they became engaged there had been a renewed hope that Naru would calm down, but in actuality, she became even more abusive, punishing him whenever he would try to be affectionate. Even Naru's best friend, Konno Mitsune (Kitsune) and her pervert-bashing ally, Aoyama Motoko, thought that things were getting out of hand. Every one of the Hinata-sou tenants knew that the romance between Keitaro and Naru was doomed, eveyone except for Keitaro and Naru. No one had the heart to tell them. Shinobu clenched her hands into fists and said quietly, "All of that ends tonight. Naru-senpai will stop punching Senpai or I will take him from her."

Meanwhile, Keitaro was dusting himself off after another Naru-Air flight. He hurt all over. No one realized how much each punch, sword thrust, Ki blast, or Mecha-tama explosion actually hurt. More than the physical havoc that these attacks had on his body, it was his emotional well-being that took the most damage. He understood that Kaolla Suu had no concept of the amount of pain that her inventions inflicted. However, Naru and Motoko had no such difficulty. He was convinced that they were _trying_ to kill him. Most of Motoko's sword techniques were inherently fatal and Naru possessed a freakish strength in her right arm. That didn't break his heart. It was the realization that Naru still didn't love and trust him that caused his heart to bleed.

He had been in love with her for four years and when she consented to date him, Keitaro thought he had died and went to heaven. "It's been more like hell, hasn't it," he asked himself. No sooner were those words uttered than Keitaro realized that it was time to give up on the dream of living a sweet romantic college life with his Promise Girl. "Oh Kami, why does it hurt so bad?" He began to cry as he slowly trudged back to the dorm. As he approached the ridiculously long set of stairs leading up to the Hinata-sou, Keitaro wiped away his tears and with a new determination, he began the climb to the Hinata-sou. "This pain ends tonight. I have done nothing to deserve feeling this way. If she can't love me, I'll find someone who can!"

As she was preparing dinner, Shinobu planned out how she was going to confront Naru. 'Being catty won't do anything but put her on the defensive and she might not release him out of stubbornness. She's that much of a bitch. I could be extra nice to Senpai and when she gets huffy about it and starts in on him, I could step in front of him and stop her. That would work! I would force them to be honest about their relationship and I will show Senpai that someone does care about him. Should I cry when I protect him?' Shinobu smiled at the thought of protecting the man that she loves. With her plan firmed up in her mind, she began to take the finished food into the dining room for dinner.

As the residents were gathering in the dining room for dinner, Keitaro was cleaning himself. 'How do I communicate my feelings at dinner without upsetting the younger girls? Maybe I should just let whatever happens happen so the others can see why I'm giving up on her. I will apologize to them later. I've had enough. I hope Shinobu and Suu forgive me for upsetting the house, but I can't take this anymore'' he concluded mentally as her walked downstairs to eat with his charges.

The atmosphere around the dining table was unusually subdued that night. Kaolla only ate three plates of food and Kitsune acted distracted. She knew that something was going happen, and all she had to do this time was sit back and watch. It was in this mood that Shinobu decided to make her move. Under the guise of giving Keitaro a piece of pie for dessert that she accidentally on purpose allowed her small, young breasts to caress his arm. Keitaro turned three shades of red, fell over backwards in his chair and yelled, "I'm so sorry, Shinobu-chan! I didn't mean to touch you there!"

Naru and Motoko immediately stood up screaming in unison, "You pervert! What the hell are you trying to do to Shinobu?"

Shinobu moved quickly to stand in front of her crush with her arms stretched out in a protective gesture. "Naru-senpai, Motoko-senpai, he did nothing wrong this time. I brushed up against him and he got embarrassed," she explained breathlessly.

Naru did not appreciate the young chef's actions to defend Keitaro. With steel in her voice, Naru warned, "Step away from my boyfriend so I can punish him for being perverted with a thirteen year old girl!"

"Auuu!" Shinobu growled. "Narusegawa Naru, I haven't been 13 for four years! Where the hell have you been? I'm old enough to protect myself from what you call Senpai's perversions. As the one who touched him, I should be punished for _my_ perversion. Every time you and Motoko-senpai attack Senpai for no real reason, it makes me sad and angry. I'm sad for Senpai who is getting hurt when he was innocent and angry that you two cows cannot see what a sweet, caring, one of a kind man that Keitaro-senpai is. Naru, you are his _girlfriend_ right? If you were truly his girlfriend in your heart, then you should believe in him, shouldn't you? I don't know about Senpai, but personally, I am sick and tired of you and Motoko-senpai abusing him. Either love him and be a proper girlfriend or give him to someone else! I've had enough of this bullshit!"

Stunned by the normally meek chef's outburst, Naru relaxed her fighting stance and looked at her boyfriend cringing against the wall, prepared to be pummeled by the Pervert Patrol. She knew that it was over. Shinobu was right, on all counts. Knowing this and being honest about it were two different things, so Naru's temper re-flared and she attempted to step around her purple-haired kouhai (underclassman) to take her frustrations out of Keitaro's hide but Shinobu refused to let her by and after 30 seconds of this, Kaolla and Kitsune grabbed her arms.

"Let it go, Naru-chan," Kitsune said gently. "Hitting him is not going to take away from the truth that Eep-chan laid out. We all know that you and Keitaro are no good together. We aren't just saying this because we all like him. We are saying it because we are sad that you are both hurting so much. Let him go, Sug, and figure out what you want. Give yourself and Kanrinrin-san a chance to be happy. If being together makes you both miserable, then end it. Keitaro is an incredibly great guy, but you cannot control your temper and you do not trust him. No trust equals a doomed romance. I'm sorry, Sug, but that's the truth," she finished with tears in her eyes.

Naru looked around the room and seeing the truth in everyone's eyes, she began to cry. "I really did like you Keitaro, but I can't be your girlfriend anymore. I'm sorry," she sobbed. Keitaro stood up to comfort his now ex-girlfriend, but she spun and ran upstairs.

Looking through tear-blind eyes, Shinobu saw her crush slump to the floor with a shocked expression on his face. Her heart sang, 'He's free!' 'But at what cost?' her mind chided. Ignoring this, Shinobu moved over to him and knelt by his side. She placed her hands on his hands and asked softly, "Senpai, are you okay?" Keitaro nodded dumbly, but suddenly tears began to stream from his brown eyes. As he began to cry in earnest, Shinobu gently drew him into an embrace. She flushed with pleasure when he wrapped his arms around her to return the hug.

After he had wept for about 30 minutes, Keitaro opened his eyes and realized who he was holding onto. "Shinobu-chan, I'm so sorry! I didn't do anything inappropriate, did I? If so, I'm sorry."

He tried to stand up, but the petite chef held him tightly, afraid to let him go. Shinobu thought quickly, 'This may be cunning, but I don't want to lose his warmth…ever.' She started to sniffle and shakily asked, "Can we stay like this a little longer, Senpai? Standing in between you and Naru-senpai was scary. I just need a little time more to calm down."

Keitaro gently patted her on the head and said, "Whatever you need, Shinobu-chan, but could we move to the sofa because my legs have fallen asleep." She nodded and they moved slowly and sat on the sofa. As he was holding the jittery girl, Keitaro remarked, "I was so surprised that you would stand up to Motoko and Naru like that. I was really impressed."

Shinobu turned her violet eyes to stare directly in the brown orbs of her beloved Kanrinrin, and with a small voice said, "I would die for you, Keitaro-senpai." Stunned, Keitaro began to splutter and tried to stand up, but Shinobu held him tightly. "I have been in love with you since you threw that birthday party for me four years ago. I tried to give up several times because I knew that you would never date a middle school student and you were obviously in love with Naru-senpai. I know that my timing is horrible, but I wanted Senpai to know that I love you and I would do everything to make you happy if you gave me the chance."

Keitaro hung his head, "What is there to love about me? I lied about being a Tokyo U. student when I first got here. I failed the exam three times before I finally passed, and then I broke my leg and missed the whole first semester. I'm clumsy, plain, and stupid. I'm not worthy enough to accept your feelings, Shinobu-chan. I don't deserve happiness."

Violet eyes flashing, Shinobu grabbed his face and kissed him hard until he responded. When they surfaced for air, she whispered savagely, "That is what I think of the bullshit that you just said. I never want to hear you say that about yourself again. Do you think so little of yourself and so little of me that I would spend four years of my life in love with the man you just described? No! You are the kindest, most gentle, caring, responsible, and strongest man that I've ever seen. Ask the other girls, including Motoko-senpai, and I GUARANTEE that they would agree with me. I would be the happiest girl in Japan, no the whole world to be your girlfriend! Please think about it, and when you are ready, let me know." She turned and walked calmly upstairs.

Shocked, Keitaro stared at her retreating back. He never knew that she felt that way. More than anything, Keitaro wanted to love a nice girl and be loved by her in return. In his 23 years, he had never experienced affection like Shinobu had just given him. He wasn't sure if he had the same feelings for her as she did for him, but if she would kiss him like that again, the love-starved man was willing to explore it. Decision made, he stood up and ran up to Shinobu's room. "Shinobu-chan, can we talk?"

**A/N**: That's it folks! What did you all think? Shinobu is a great character and I did take her OOC, but I hope that it worked. Maybe now I can get back to my two other stories. Thanks for reading and please don't flame me!


	2. Chapter 2: A New Couple is Born?

**A/N**: I was done with this story. I had really intended to leave My Turn as a one-shot, but the response was quite nice and there is something within me that wants to add on to this. Please read and enjoy. I hope this fulfills everyone's expectations and that it's not crap.

**Disclaimer:** See the first chapter. Love Hina belongs to Akamatsu Ken.

My Turn

Chapter 2: A New Couple is Born?

(From last chapter) Shocked, Keitaro stared at her retreating back. He never knew that she felt that way. More than anything, Keitaro wanted to love a nice girl and be loved by her in return. In his 23 years, he had never experienced affection like Shinobu had just given him. He wasn't sure if he had the same feelings for her as she did for him, but if she would kiss him like that again, the love-starved man was willing to explore it. Decision made, he stood up and ran up to Shinobu's room. "Shinobu-chan, can we talk?"

A few agonizing heartbeats passed, and then Shinobu opened the door. "Come in, Senpai," she said as she led him into her room. The room had changed since the last time he had been in there. Shinobu had a bookcase filled with cookbooks and her personal mementos, but gone were the girly decorations. The room reflected the woman that she was becoming. They sat on the floor facing each other. Shinobu's face was alternating between fear and dread. "Senpai," she began, "if you are just going to reject me, please do it now and do it gently. I fell in love with you on my own, and it may take some time, but I can get over it on my own. Don't give me hope if there isn't any."

Keitaro reached over and grasped her hands, asking, "What if I don't want you to get over it? What if I want to see if I can fall for you? Yes, I'm still hurting over Naru, but you showed me your courage, and I really am curious what you would be like as a girlfriend." He paused a moment, and gathering his thoughts, continued, "It is also true that I've always thought of you as a little sister, but knowing how feel about me has made me question that."

Light began to shine in Shinobu's violet eyes as she searched Keitaro's for the truth, and seeing that he wasn't lying, her shoulders began to shake. "I'm sorry, Senpai, I was just so afraid that you came up here to tell me that I'm too young again," she sobbed. "I could take an outright rejection better than that. I'm not 13 anymore. I'm 17, and I'm a 3rd year high school student that has been accepted into Japan's best culinary school. My love for you has matured just as I have."

"Shinobu, please believe me," Keitaro pleaded, trying not to notice how the young chef's face flushed with pleasure at the lack of honorific. "It's too soon for me to sure about my feelings, but I want to slowly get to know you as a woman and not just as the girl that I thought that I knew. I must say that you opened my eyes with that kiss. I realize that the girl is gone and there is a beautiful woman that now goes by the name Maehara Shinobu."

Shinobu moved closer and leaned her head against his shoulder. "Kei-senpai that knowledge will cost you."

Chuckling, Keitaro ventured, "I'm almost afraid to ask this, but I'm curious, what will it cost me?"

The petite chef lifted her head off of his shoulder, and with a mischievous look that he had never seen from her before, she replied, "First, it will take a real date, and then I reserve the right to amend as things progress."

Stunned, Keitaro thought to himself, 'She's actually flirting with me!' The idea was not as unpleasant as he might have thought that it would have been two hours ago. Finding his resolve, he whispered in her ear, "Does a Sunday trip to Tokyo work for you, Shinobu-chan?"

Shinobu squeaked at the ticklish sensation of his breath and voice in her ear. She smiled, thinking, 'Good, he's flirting back. Now, I cinch it!' Reaching her arms around Keitaro's neck, she pulled him close, kissed him on the cheek and whispered back, "Sure, Kei-senpai, I will be waiting for you at Haruka's tea shop, 10 AM sharp. If you are late, you'll owe me a compensation gift. For now, to tide me over, this will do," she finished and then gently and lovingly kissed her crush on the lips. "Goodnight, Kei-senpai, I'll see you in the morning!"

And before he knew it, Keitaro was standing outside of Shinobu's door. He shook off the effects of the kiss. "Kami, that girl is something else. I could get used to this,' he thought as he happily walked back to his room.

Meanwhile, Shinobu was happy, but worried as she got ready for bed. 'How long do I have before one of the other girls makes their move? They will probably give his some space to grieve the end of things with Naru, and then they'll start chasing him for real. I can't get comfortable until we are officially a couple. I hate being cunning like this, but I lost to Naru before because I was too young and now there is no way in hell that I can afford to let his head get turned by one of the older girls. My guess is that it will be either Kitsune or Motoko that acts first. Mutsumi will be the hardest to fend off because she is a "Promise Girl" too. I'll fight that battle if it comes up.' Just as she was beginning to fall asleep, a brilliant idea popped to her head, she smiled to herself, 'That's mean, but all's fair in love and war.'

Early the next morning, Shinobu was in the kitchen preparing breakfast for the residents of the Hinata-sou. She was making all of Keitaro's favorite foods, including his beloved beef bowl. 'The Americans have a saying, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach." Now to go wake up Kei-senpai,' she concluded happily.

As Shinobu walked up to Keitaro's room, she kept her face neutral, so that if she ran into any of the other girls, they wouldn't know that she had stolen a march on them. 'When exactly did I lose my innocence,' she asked herself. 'When did I become so calculating? I hope that everyone forgives me later, but I'm not going to stop now.' She composed herself and gently knocked on the door, "Senpai? Are you awake? Breakfast is ready," she called softly. Hearing no response, she quietly opened the door and crept into the Kanrinrin's room, and saw her crush sleeping peacefully. Wanting to get a closer look at her beloved's face, Shinobu crouched down and was pained to see that his eyes were red from crying. 'I should have known that it wouldn't be that easy,' she screamed at herself. 'I can't let him continue to hurt over her,' she decided and crawled into his futon, savoring the warmth. She snuggled up close to him, hugging his broad back. 'Oh Kami, this feels so nice,' the teen thought before she drifted off to sleep as well.

Thirty minutes later, Keitaro awoke, startled to find someone in the futon with him. His first thought was, 'When did Kanako get here?' And when he rolled over, he was astonished that it was Shinobu and not his adopted younger sister. His first instinct was to make sure that the door was locked in case the Pervert Patrol was waiting outside to punish him for molesting Shinobu, but he resisted to urge to move because he didn't want to lose the soft warmth in the futon with him. "If I'm going to get killed for this, I might as well enjoy holding her as the last act of a dead man,' he chuckled as he drew the sleeping girl into his arms, loving the sensation of her soft feminine body. 'Kami, why couldn't I have had this with Naru?' He thought sadly. Shinobu stirred slightly and snuggled even closer. 'This is such a wonderful feeling. It would heaven to wake up like this every morning.'

Keitaro gently kissed her forehead and when she woke, he saw the surprise in her violet eyes that he'd kissed her. Shinobu sat up in shock with an "Eep!' She covered her mouth quickly with her hands, and after a heartbeat lowered them, "Au, Kei-senpai that was the first time that you've kissed me!"

He chuckled and responded, "Well imagine _my_ surprise to wake up to a girl in my futon!" They both laughed quietly so as to not disturb the sleeping dragon in the room above.

Shinobu gave him a peck on the lips and said flirtatiously, "Breakfast is ready downstairs unless you'd rather stay here and devour me." She laughed at her love's shocked face.

"Shinobu," he sputtered, "are you trying to get me killed? If Motoko or Naru heard that, I would be in Lower Earth Orbit quicker than Usain Bolt can run."

The petite teen kissed the tip of his nose, and said, "I said before that I would never let that happen again, and I meant it. I love you and I want to enjoy building our relationship. If those two prudes can't handle it, they can come after me. You are doing nothing wrong, so don't be afraid of them anymore. I will protect you."

The Kanrinrin bristled slightly, "Wait a minute, Shinobu. Isn't the job of the boyfriend to protect the girlfriend? I may look like this, but I have some pride as a man."

Shinobu giggled, "So now you are calling yourself my _boyfriend_? If that's a proposal, I accept gladly, my love." She threw her arms around Keitaro's neck happily, and whispered, "I know what you meant, but you cannot defend yourself against those two. I'll protect you from them, and you can protect me from everything else."

As he felt her sweet-smelling breath caress his cheek, Keitaro felt a peace that he hadn't in years. 'I know that this wrong so soon after my breakup with Naru, but by all the gods, this feels so right.' He wrapped his arms around to return the embrace and soon found her lips with his own and murmured, "Kami, Shinobu, I know that I shouldn't get caught up like this so soon, but you are too warm, too sweet, and too cute to resist."

Feeling heat diffuse throughout her body, Shinobu kissed him back with urgency and asked, "Kei-senpai, how did you learn to kiss like this? Don't stop, Darling." They continued to kiss until he suddenly froze up and backed away from Shinobu, curling into a protective ball in corner. The violet-eyed girl was disappointed that he'd stopped until she saw Naru's wrath-filled face looking through the hole in the ceiling.

Narusegawa jumped down, landing on Keitaro's table. She observed her ex-boyfriend in the corner prepared for the beating that she was going to give him, but putting first things first, she rounded on Shinobu, "You little bitch. You certainly didn't take your time jumping into his futon, did you? It was through _your_ instigation Shinobu that I broke up with the pervert last night. You planned this all along didn't you? Maybe I should tell Motoko and Kitsune how you took your advantage and got ahead of them. I cannot fucking believe that I let a little slut like you set me up like that!"

Naru wound up her first to send the petite chef into Lower Earth Orbit when her fist hit something that felt like iron. Surprised, she opened her eyes to see that Keitaro had caught her fist. He thundered at her, "YOU…WILL…NOT…HIT... HER! If you even lay a finger on her, I will evict you on the spot. If you want to hit someone, hit me. At least this time, I'm guilty of something. Come on Narusegawa; punish me like you did every time I tried to show you my feelings. Gods, you belted me for trying to hold your hand after we were engaged. We were together for two years and the only time that I kissed you was by accident. I have felt more love in the last 10 hours than I have in 23 years. All I ever wanted was for you to love me like I loved you…sorry, Shinobu, like I still love you. But you never gave me a chance. You never truly returned my feelings. I put up with so much from you because I wanted to be with you, but no more. One more thing Naru, Shinobu is 17, which means that if I decided that it was right and she accepted that we could be married anytime. So if two consenting adults wish to be affectionate with each other in the privacy of one of our rooms, what business is it of yours?" He took a breath, "Now Naru, I would like to get ready to go to school and eat some breakfast, so would you kindly go back to your room? Thanks."

Naru crumbled again like she had the previous night. Her eyes filled with tears and she said sadly, "For what it worth, I did like you, Keitaro. There were a few times that I felt for you like I did for Seta-sensei, but the intensity of your feelings kind of scared me. But when I saw you kissing Shinobu, I finally understood what you were offering me and what I kept pushing away. Be happy, Keitaro, and I won't tell the others about you two."

She turned to go out the door and when she opened it, Kaolla, Kitsune, and Motoko all fell into the room. Kitsune was the first to recover, and said, "Well ladies, it looks like Eep-chan got a little ahead of us. The race is on. You better prepare yourself, Kei-kun, because it's my turn now!" She walked over to the startled landlord and kissed him passionately.

Motoko threw her to the side with a gentle Ki-blast. "Do not be so vulgar, Kitsune-san. Urashima, I will also be courting you."

Kaolla looked confused for a moment and then said, "What's for breakfast, Shinomu?" She then leapt onto Keitaro's back, kissed him on the cheek, and breathed into his ear, "Onii-chan, I want you for myself to play with as well. I don't mind sharing you with Shinobu though."

Keitaro peered into the eyes of the four love-struck women and had one thought, 'Oh shit…'

To be continued?

**A/N**: There it is. I started serious and gave it a light ending. I might consider continuing this again because I want to give Shinobu her happy ending. What do you all think? Anyway, thanks for reading.


	3. Chapter 3: The Game is On

**A/N**: One story finished and now I can resume this story in good conscience. Shinobu has made a start with Keitaro. Now, the other girls will make their plays as well. Thanks for reading. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: Akamatsu Ken-sensei is the owner, creator, and evil genius of Love Hina. If it was mine, Keitaro wouldn't have gotten with Naru!

My Turn

Chapter 3: The Game is On!

It was six o'clock in the morning, Maehara Shinobu's favorite time of the day. She could catch up on the chores that she hadn't gotten done the previous day, make breakfast for Senpai and the other residents without Kaolla getting in her way and wanting to play, and it usually gave her the only chance all day to collect her thoughts. On this particular morning, she was a bit annoyed. Thanks to Naru's loud mouth, the whole dorm knew that Shinobu had made her move on Keitaro. 'Nothing is ever easy,' she complained to herself. At least she had the promise of a date with Keitaro this weekend. That happy thought brought a smile to her face, and she decided to really turn on the charm today. The problem was that she really didn't have a good model to go on, the older girls were terrible with men, and she had never really tried to seduce a man into falling in love with her. The boys that had liked her just saw her cute face and slender figure.

She shook her head, 'Thinking this way won't help. Maybe I should ask Haruka-san on how to get him to only look at me. I can't give the others a chance to turn Kei-sempai's head. I've become so greedy. Before it was enough that he was kind to me, but now I want more.' With her course of action decided, Shinobu realized that she was acting so far out of her outward character that she barely recognized herself. 'Oh well, it can't be helped. Watch out, Kei-sempai, I'm coming to steal your heart!'

Meanwhile, Aoyama Motoko was on the roof, doing her morning stretches and forms. The implications of Naru dumping Keitaro meant that she could no longer hide her feelings by playing "Pervert Patrol" with Naru. Especially since Shinobu had so strongly made her claim for him. Remembering the scene in Keitaro's room the previous morning, she was both appalled and envious of Shinobu's new-found boldness. 'When did she grow up?' The samurai asked herself. 'The Shinobu that I picture in my mind would simply cry in that situation, and we would punish Urashima for being lewd with a middle schooler. When did she get that pretty and courageous? Could I do something that shameless and brave? It may come to that because she is so far ahead of me now,' she thought and blushed furiously. "No," she said aloud, "I will win him by being a lady and not degrading myself like I know that the Drunken Fox will do."

"Oh really," asked a voice from behind her. "Do you really think that I would need to degrade myself to make Kanrinrin-san look at me instead of you? I'll tell ya something, Kendo Girl. He doesn't cringe in fear when I approach him, thinking that I'm about ta hit him. Who does he do that with? Not me, Sug." Mitsune took a moment to contain her anger. "You and Naru have beat the shit out of him for four years. Do you honestly think that he believes that you wouldn't treat him the same way Naru did when they were dating?" She turned and was about to leave when a strong hand grasped her arm and Mitsune was face to face with an angry Motoko.

"That may be true," the young samurai began. "But whose fault was it many times when we punished Urashima for his supposed perversions? Who took down the sign when he was cleaning the hot springs? Who would flirt with him for money and then cry pervert when he didn't have money to give you? Naru-san and I may have inflicted great pain, that I will not deny, but it was at _your_ instigation. I am willing to do whatever it takes to make it up to him. What will Kitsune, the goddess of sake, do for him? Rob him some more? Rub against him and then laugh when he gets a nose bleed?"

Throughout Motoko's tirade, Kitsune got more and more furious. In her mind, the freelance writer was creating words and phrases that would verbally eviscerate her adversary. Yet she was stopped by the tears flowing freely from the young kendoist's eyes. Her mouth softened and she asked, "Ya really love him, don't ya Sug?" Motoko nodded, and Mitsune sighed, "Me too, but we are both pretty far behind Eep-chan. We can't attack her the way that we would another girl because she's like a sister. Ah want Keitaro, but I don't want to get ugly to do it."

Smiling wanly, Motoko sniffed, "That's what's so hard. I love Urashima and I love Shinobu-chan. I want to compete for him fairly and honorably because he really does deserve it."

"Ya got that right, Motoko. He's become such a great guy. Well then, may the best woman win," Mitsune finished and extended her hand to her friend.

Motoko shook it, "Fair enough, but I warn you, if you try to win by being slutty, I will not forgive you."

"It's not me that ya got to worry about in that regard, but I do think our little Shinobu is more grown up than we give her credit for." Both women sighed heavily. She thought a moment, "Maybe we should call a meeting with the other two girls and set some ground rules. It won't be fair if one of us wins by taking his virginity."

Nodding in agreement, "I see the wisdom in your suggestion, Kitsune. I suggest that we do this sooner rather than later although it may be daunting to erase to advantage that Shinobu has."

Mistune's eyes resumed their trademark slit, "Are ya giving up without a fight, Kendo Girl? Ya better not or I'll be mad at you. Let's stop jabbering and go get them!"

Twenty minutes later in Motoko's room, the girls were finally all together. It took that long because Motoko had to pry Kaolla away from her latest Mecha-tama experiment. This new model ran on banana peels, which Kaolla had in abundance. Since it was her room, Motoko acted as the moderator, intoning, "Well ladies, Kitsune and I talked this morning and we both believe that there should be ground rules in our competition for Urashima."

Shinobu's eyes narrowed, "What sort of ground rules?"

"Fer one, no one is to have sex with Kanrinrin-san until they are official with him," Kitsune drawled. "It wouldn't be sporting to go the limit just ta win."

Kaolla stuck her finger in her mouth thoughtfully, "Does sex taste good? It sounds yummy. Maybe I should Onii-chan to give me some for dinner!"

The other three women gasped aloud, "Suu-chan!" They yelled in unison. "You can't eat sex!"

"Why not?" the Molmolian Princess asked. "I remember hearing Amalla-nee telling Lambda-Onii-sama to eat her hot sex." She looked up and saw three EXTREMELY red faces gazing at her.

Kitsune was the first to recover, chuckling, "Wow, Molmol must be one hell of a place."

"It is," Kaolla replied. "Why in Molmol, we could all be Onii-chan's wives. I wouldn't mind sharing him with you all. We all love him, don't we? And I also love Kitsune, Motoko, and Shinobu! Shall we take him to my island and marry him?"

Motoko silenced the hyperactive blonde with a glare, "If I were to gain Urashima's affections, I certainly would have no interest in sharing him."

"Me neither," Kitsune agreed. "Kei-baby is so precious that I wouldn't let him out my sight or my bed!" With that, Kitsune, Motoko, and Kaolla began to bicker over the absent manager.

Finally, Shinobu had reached the limit of her patience, "That is enough! I think that the three of you are forgetting one thing, Sempai is mine! We are going on a date this Sunday. I have been hoping that I would get this chance for _four years_. Please don't do anything to mess this up or I will never forgive you. What are you all going to do if we become official during this date? I am hoping that he will answer my confession while we are out." She took a breath and then continuing with ice in her voice, asking, "Where have you three been the last four years? Motoko-san, you were busy being just as abusive as Naru-sempai. Now, you realize that you've loved him all along? Really? Mitsune-san, you were the person who set Sempai up to be beat up the most these last four years. When you weren't setting him up, you were teasing him for money. Do you think that you have any right to him? And Kaolla, my best friend other than Sempai, how long did it take you to stop trying to blow him up? I love you all like sisters, including Naru-sempai, but I will not step aside again for anyone or anything. I've been in love with him since my thirteenth birthday. It broke my heart when he started dating Naru-sempai, and now that they've broken up, I'm going to take this chance. Kami, I hope this doesn't make me sound like a bitch, but I love him more than life, Can any of you say that?" At this, Shinobu ran up the stairs crying.

Watching the bluenette ran up the stairs, Kitsune let out a low whistle, "Who'd have thought that Eep-chan would've had that brewing inside of her?"

Motoko shook her head sadly, "She was right, you know? Every single word she said was absolutely true."

"Shinomu has really grown up, hasn't she?" Kaolla observed. "She would make a great sister wife with me. I'll take her and Onii-chan back to Molmol and marry him. We'll eat lots of hot sex and bananas!" She finished before bouncing off to her room. Kitsune and Motoko both shook their heads.

"Shinobu requested that we don't interfere during her date, but she didn't say anything about flirting ruthlessly before her date," said Kitsune craftily. "Watch out, Kei-baby, you've got a fox stalking ya!"

Smiling for the first time all day, Motoko agreed, adding, "It wouldn't be honorable to not at least make an attempt before everything is settled, would it? All is fair in love and war!"

Later that evening, Naru had a hard time eating as the other four residents of the Hinata-sou took turns flustering Keitaro with their attention. Shinobu made one of the best dinners that Keitaro had eaten. Kitsune swore that the young chef had channeled Morimoto* himself. As for the drunken fox, she was surprisingly sober, wearing a tight, low-cut shirt that gapped enough for Keitaro to notice that she wasn't wearing a bra. Not to be outdone, the resident samurai had exchanged her usual outfit for a lovely and elegant dress that hugged her now-noticeable curves. She made it a point to lovingly refer to the former ronin as "Keitaro-san," which flustered him even more. The topper happened when Kaolla placed herself in his lap and asked him if she could sleep in his futon tonight. All four girls removed the princess from her perch on the now-unconscious manager's lap, carried her into the kitchen and began lecture her on how a lady should act.

Motoko was first, "I thought we agreed, Suu-chan that no one would try to have sex with Keitaro-san until they were official with him."

This was news to Naru, who sputtered, "You mean that you all _want_ to have sex with Keitaro? I couldn't imagine _wanting_ to do something like that. It's so shameless and disgusting."

With a sad look on her face, Kitsune said gently, "And that, Naru-chan, is precisely _why_ you are Keitaro's ex-girlfriend. If you never wanted to become one with him, could you honestly say that you were ever in love him? I've wanted him for a long time now. Why do ya think that I like to make him touch me? It's partially because Ah love the reactions that I'd get from you and Kendo Girl there, but mostly because he has such strong and gentle hands and eyes. He makes me feel safer than any man I've ever been around."

"It's the same for me, Naru-san," Motoko interjected. "When I was punishing him with you, it was to take my mind off the feeling of having his arms around me when I collapsed after our first duel. I know that he had no romantic or sexual intentions for me in that embrace, but all I can think of at night in my room is how wonderful being held by Keitaro-san felt, and I want to feel more and more of his warmth. I would willingly give him my first time."

Shinobu sighed, "I'm sure everyone here knows how _I_ feel about Sempai. There is absolutely _nothing_ that I wouldn't do for if he were to but ask. I would marry him tonight and give myself to him fully if that is what he wanted. It's all I can do to keep myself from dragging Sempai to his room and having my wicked way with him."

Naru was aghast, "Kitsune, what the hell have you taught this girl? She sounds more you that she does our Shinobu."

Furious, Shinobu countered, "Number one, the only one I belong to is Sempai. Two, I am SEVENTEEN years old. I am a senior in high school. I have been listening to girls at school talk about this for _years_. Three, there is nothing wrong with having sexual desire for someone you love."

"Eep-chan's got ya there, Sug," Kitsune laughed. "Besides she's not even the second biggest pervert among us, is she, Mo-chan?" She asked a rapidly flushing Motoko. "Someone, I won't name names, but someone writes some steamy loves scenes involving her and a glasses-wearing handyman. I'll give ya a hint, it ain't me. Ah'd rather act it out than write about it," she finished with a drawl.

Just as Motoko was going to make a violent move toward the free-lance author, Kaolla broke the tension by asking, "Can we go back to eat? I'm starving," punctuated with her stomach growling loudly. It was great timing too because Keitaro had come to, and was about to walk into the kitchen when he heard the laughter. Upon entering, he saw the blonde princess rubbing the back of her head as the residents in the room chortled.

Sensing the tension in the air, he asked, "Is there something I missed?"

The girls laughed again, and Naru said warmly, "It's nothing, Keitaro. Suu was just making us laugh."

Kitsune sidled up to him and with a sexually flammable gaze, said, "That's not exactly true, Kei-baby. We were just telling Junior Julia Child* (nodding at Shinobu) here that the game is on."

For once Keitaro understood what she was saying without elaboration and shuddered. He thought, 'So much for a peaceful life."

To Be Continued…

**A/N**: Sorry that it took so long to get something published. I really will try to get something up sooner than once a month, but life and the Muse make it difficult. Additionally, don't worry this is still a KeiXShinobu story, but it wouldn't be Love Hina if the other girls didn't complicate things, now would it?

*Morimoto Masaharu - Famous Japanese chef

*Julia Child - Famous early American TV chef


	4. Chapter 4: The Perfect Date?

**A/N**: As I struggle with my Ai Yori Aoshi story, I ironically have some fun ideas for this one. Shinobu will finally get her date, but will she get her man? Please take time to enjoy and please let me know what you think, okay?

**Disclaimer**: See chapter 1. This scenario is mine, the mangaverse and the characters are not. If they were, Naru would be in an insane asylum.

My Turn

Chapter 4: The Perfect Date?

On the Sunday morning of Keitaro and Shinobu's date, the Hinata-sou thrummed with an unusual energy as the blue-haired domestic sped through her chores at a pace that would have impressed Kaolla Su. 'After today, there will be no question who Keitaro's girlfriend is. I cannot fail. Everything is planned out perfectly. I followed Haruka-san's advice to the letter, and just in case things go just right, I'm wearing my nicest lingerie.' Chuckling as she thought these things, the tiny chef hurried onto her next task.

Her date, on the other hand, was having a crisis of conscience and confidence. He tormented himself, thinking, 'Is it really okay for me to try to find love? Will the other girls return to their ugly ways if Shinobu and I start seriously dating? Will I ever be over Naru enough to be fair to Shinobu or any other girl?' That was crux of his worry. The young archeologist still loved his ex-girlfriend. There was no way in hell that he would ever consider getting back together with her, but his heart yet ached for her. It was time for tea.

"Well, you were chasing her for four years, Kei-bozu*, did you really think that you would be over her in a week?" Haruka asked sarcastically as she served him a lovely Darjeeling. "Seta and I broke up years ago, and I still can feel his arms around me at times. Take your time and don't rush into a relationship because you will be doing the next girl a disservice. Shinobu is perfect for you. She is sweet, loving, kind, gentle, and above all, she loves you more than herself. The only other girl remotely close to those qualities is Mutsumi and you would have to expend so much energy looking after her with those fainting spells that dating would become impossible."

Keitaro started, "Mutsumi likes me too? I really could have been the harem king if I had some self-confidence. Thanks for the tea and the advice, Aunt Haruka," he finished, dodging the big fan that she always managed to produce from Kami-knows-where to hit him anytime he slipped and called her "Aunt."

"When did you learn to duck, Kei-bozu?" She asked loudly. Keitaro just smiled at his aunt/cousin and began walking back to the inn. She grinned as well and remarked to herself, "He just might be starting to get some common sense. I hope that he's not too patient and Shinobu not too anxious. That would be disastrous, wouldn't it, Granny?"

"Can't get anything by you, can I Haruka?"Urashima Hina chuckled. "I may have messed up in pushing Keitaro and Naru together, but Shinobu would make some lovely great-grandchildren for me, wouldn't she?" Her adopted daughter nodded in agreement and the two continued to chat over tea.

Shinobu was in her room, going through her clothes for the hundredth time, asking herself aloud, "What will have the maximum effect on Kei-kun?"

Just then Kaolla popped up through the floor. "What are ya doing, Shinobu?" The Molmolian princess began looking through her best friend's clothes. Suddenly, she yelled, "I get it! You're looking for something to wear for Big Brother!"

"Yes I am," the petite chef answered quietly. "I need something that will knock Sempai's socks off. No offense, but I don't want to give another girl a chance at him."

The hyperactive inventor looked thoughtfully through the pile, and pulled out a simple, but elegant sundress. "This will show that you've developed some curves. You want Keitaros to see you as a woman, right? This is lovely just like you, and it shows that you are interested without saying that you are desperate."

Shinobu examined the dress. She thought for a moment and hugged her best friend. "This is perfect," she said breathlessly. "Thank you, Kaolla."

"No problem, just remember, I only helped you because polygamy is legal in Molmol," the blonde replied impishly as she bounced out of Shinobu's room.

It took Shinobu a heartbeat to realize what her best friend had said and then she blushed as unwanted images of the three of them in bed popped into her mind. She shook her head, 'Now I'm letting that pervert Kaolla distract from focusing on my Kei-kun.' She quickly finished dressing and applying a light touch of makeup before heading downstairs to meet her date.

Meanwhile, Keitaro was choosing clothes himself. Painful memories of Naru's face when she saw what he had chosen to wear on their dates hit him as hard as one her patented Naru-punches. 'I should go with something different,' he thought suddenly. 'Shinobu will be taking this date seriously, so even if I cannot completely respond to her feelings yet, I better take it seriously too.' He chose a pair of tight blue jeans and a shirt from his boy band wannabe phase in high school. He also did something that he never did for his dates with Naru; exchanged his nerd glasses for the never-worn contacts that his parents bought him for graduating high school. He then brushed his hair like Kamenashi Kazuya from KAT-TUN.

Keitaro walked more calmly than he felt to Shinobu's room and knocked softly on the door, "Shinobu, are you ready?" As soon as those words were out of his mouth, the door opened.

Nearly swooning at the new, more stylish Keitaro, Shinobu controlled herself, replying, "Yes, I've been ready for this for four years. I get you all to myself for a whole day."

Keitaro smiled gently, "Shall we be off then? I'm not really up to facing the other girls."

Our heroine's face lit up like a lamp in a dark room, grabbing his arm, she quickly led him out of the Hinata-sou on their way to the train station. In their happy haze, they did not notice three pairs of eyes watching them from the stairs: two pairs were green with jealousy and the other pair were sad and resigned. 'Why couldn't he have dressed like that on our dates?' Naru asked herself wistfully, and then in a rare moment of honestly, she said aloud, "It probably wouldn't have mattered anyway. I still would have decked him if he tried to be affectionate. Kami, I really do need help."

Even though she was beyond happy, Shinobu knew that she needed to be on guard in case the others tried to crash her date. Keitaro, nervous about his first serious date with a girl not named Narusegawa Naru, was not quite sure what to do. Uncertainly, he asked, "What would you like to do first, Shinobu?"

She snapped out her reverie. Shinobu panicked for a moment, and then remembered her date plan. Grabbing her crush's hand, she led him to the station, "I'd like to go into to Tokyo, if that's alright with you, Sempai." He smiled gently and nodded.

The first stop when they arrived in Tokyo proper was the 109 in Shibuya. Shinobu had originally planned to get Keitaro some clothing that flattered him. His surprising wardrobe choice only served to inspire her to make him over some more. They spent an enjoyable hour trying on outfits with Shinobu buying Keitaro some tight leather pants that looked like something that she saw Yamashita Tomohisa (Yamapi) wear in a music video.

Keitaro insisted on buying his date a miniskirt, jacket, shirt, and boots that he saw an idol that he admired wear. "Shinobu, you look absolutely stunning," he managed. There was no mistaking it; the young domestic had matured into a desirable woman. As this thought entered his mind, he realized that he actually could see her as a possible romantic partner.

Dressed in their new clothes, the next stop was Jackson Hole restaurant for a Jackson Burger. Shinobu was a major fan of the anime, _Nana_, and she had wanted try one for herself. The combination of caramelized onions and the well-seasoned hamburger almost inspired her to imitate her favorite character Hachi and order a second sandwich.

While they ate, they talked about each of their childhoods. Keitaro learned that Shinobu's family had once been hereditary Imperial chefs. Shinobu heard stories about Haruka and the rest of Keitaro's family. She laughed when he told her how desperate Haruka was to have him call her "Aunt Haruka" after Granny had adopted her following the deaths of her parents. "You can't win with Haruka-san, can you, Sempai?" She asked rhetorically and they both laughed.

They talked about their dreams. Keitaro wanted to teach at Tokyo U. and make more Turtle Civilization discoveries. His teenaged date desired to own her own restaurant after attending the Cordon Bleu in Paris. Shinobu was not worried that their dreams might take them off different directions. She believed with everything that she was that her future was with Keitaro.

After paying Satou Koichi (Jackson Hole's bartender in _Nana_), the couple walked through Yoyogi Park, talking, flirting, and generally getting closer. Noticing that Keitaro was more relaxed than she had ever seen him made the violet-haired chef delirious with joy. 'I knew that I could make him happy!' She thought ecstatically.

For his part, the young archeologist was amazed how comfortable he was with Shinobu being by his side. He felt a sense of peace and security. He knew that Shinobu loved him. Of that there was no doubt in his mind. "This is what having a girlfriend is supposed to feel like, huh?" He asked himself, unaware that he was speaking aloud. He didn't realize his mistake until he saw the ecstatic tears in the aspiring chef's eyes and her hands clasped as if she were fervently praying. "Oh Kami, Shinobu, I didn't mean to say that out loud!"

The young woman reached up and gently touched her crush's face, "Don't be afraid of being happy with me, Kei-sempai. I will never hit you or insult you harshly. I want to be your girlfriend more than anything, even going to Le Cordon Bleu. I've waited four years for you to see me as a woman, and I am so happy right now that I can hardly contain myself."

"Kami, I want to kiss you right now, Shinobu, but I'm afraid that if I do, there will no going back and you will be incredibly hurt if you are just catching me on the rebound," Keitaro said seriously.

Moving her hand from Keitaro's face to the back of his head, she pulled him into a searing kiss. "Do you honestly believe that I just wanted to be your rebound girl? I will give my all to make it so you will never need anyone else," Shinobu finished before curling his toes with another passionate kiss. As they continued to kiss, she felt Keitaro kiss her even harder. 'I better stop or I will jump him right here in the middle of Yoyogi Park.' She gently placed her hands against his chest and said softly, "Keitaro, maybe we should go somewhere else. We are attracting an audience."

Embarrassed, Keitaro quickly separated from his date, who laced her fingers with his. He cleared his throat nervously and asked, "You are positive that you want to be my girlfriend, Shinobu?" She nodded without hesitating, causing him to smile, and he asked, "I never had a chance against you, did I?"

Shinobu was beaming, "I always knew that you were smart, Kei-sempai. You do realize that the others are going to be pissed off when we get back, don't you?"

"Yes, I do," Keitaro replied suppressing a shudder. His heart melted at the radiant joy reflecting from Shinobu's eyes. "I guess this means that we are going out, doesn't it?"

"Right again, Kei-sempai, I am yours and you are mine," the young chef replied cheekily. "Please take care of me from now on."

Taking her hand, Keitaro kissed it gently, "Likewise, please take care of me from now on." His new girlfriend threw her arms around his neck, bathing his face with kisses.

As they were walking back, arm in arm, to the Hinata-sou, they noticed a girl passed out at the bottom of the steps. As they approached, Keitaro noticed that Shinobu's eyes were no longer dancing with happiness. When he recognized the girl, he understood his girlfriend's apprehension. It was Otohime Mutsumi. He pretended not to hear Shinobu say, "Shit" under her breath. The other promise girl had arrived.

**A/N**: Sorry that it took so long to finish this chapter. I have no real excuse other than life is insane. I hope this was worth the wait. I am always seeking to improve my writing, so please advise what you liked, disliked, or what could have been better. Thanks for reading!

*Bozu- Brat


	5. Chapter 5: Melon Melancholy

**A/N**: I am not dead, I'm just really busy during the day, and late night writing doesn't work for me. Please enjoy and let me know what you thought. Thanks for reading. P.S. Mutsumi may be a bit (a lot) OOC.

**Disclaimer**: Love Hina is not mine and never will be because Akamatsu-sensei owns it.

My Turn

Chapter 5: Melon Melancholy

Whatever joy Shinobu had felt after her date with Keitaro quickly melted into insecurity as she watched her newly official boyfriend carry Otohime Mutsumi up the long stairs to the Hinata-sou. 'Great,' she thought sourly. 'Why couldn't the other Promise Girl give me a couple of more weeks to get my relationship with Kei-kun more firm? I guess it cannot be helped. I just need to keep him looking at me.'

She quietly sidled up with the Kanrinrin and asked, "Are you okay, Keitaro-sempai? We can take a break if you need to. These stairs are tough enough to walk up on your own."

The Todai student smiled through his effort, "I'm okay, Shinobu. I'll just need a shoulder rub from my girlfriend when we get back to the Sou." Keitaro readjusted his childhood friend after she started to slip and he inadvertently touched her round bottom, causing his face to flush with embarrassment and Shinobu's heart clench a bit. "Sorry Mutsumi-san. I hope I didn't offend you."

This made the petite chef feel a bit better. He did not seem to be enjoying being so close to his Okinawan friend. Shinobu thought that Mutsumi was a strange girl, to say the least. She had minimal boundaries as far as her body was concerned. In the past, she had kissed both Naru and Keitaro. Shinobu would have been mortified to know that Mutsumi was Keitaro's first kiss. Mutsumi was also quite intelligent, only missing out on Todai due to her tendency to faint at the most inopportune times. Her anemic spells were not even her biggest quirk. That honor was split between her ability to speak with turtles and her obsessive love for watermelons.

"Sempai, I would love to rub your shoulders or anything else that is hurting," Shinobu replied, taking the flirtation to a new level. She was quite willing to follow through on her suggestion, admitting to herself that she too had no boundaries when it came to her beloved Keitaro.

Just then, Mutsumi stirred, "Ara, Kei-kun, why are you carrying me?"

"You fainted, Mutsumi-sempai," Shinobu answered. "And Sempai and I were just coming home from our date when we found you. Sempai decided to carry you home."

The melon lover looked confused, "Why would you be on a date with Kei-kun, Shinobu-chan? Isn't he Naru-chan's boyfriend?"

Taking a moment before answering, Shinobu considered whether or not to tell Mutsumi everything because she knew that the older girl was devoted to the idea of Keitaro and Naru being together. She had mediated a few of the rough patches that the former couple had been through. Shaking her head, the violet-haired teen decided to go on the offensive, answering, "Naru-sempai and Sempai broke up. Keitaro-sempai is now my boyfriend."

Keitaro quickly made move to stop her, but the words were already out of his girlfriend's mouth. In that instant, he saw Mutsumi's face change from confusion to crestfallen. He hurt for his childhood friend to hear things this way, but it was too late, and she slid off his back, dropping slowly to her knees, looking between Shinobu and Keitaro, hoping that what the young chef had just said wasn't true. In Shinobu's eyes, she saw determination. Keitaro's shown with regret. "I am so sorry that this news was broke to you in this manner. I was hoping to tell everyone at once," Keitaro said apologetically.

"So it is true," Mutsumi said slowly. Suddenly, her face contorted with an un-Mutsumi-like rage, "You worked quickly, didn't you, you thieving little cat? Naru-chan and Kei-kun just broke up and you swooped in and stole him from me? If he and Naru-chan didn't stay together, he was supposed to mine! If I had known that Naru-chan would blow it like this, I never would have stepped aside for her!" Beginning to cry, Mutsumi grabbed Keitaro, kissed him hard. When she noticed Shinobu moving to stop her, the Okinawan released him and wheeled around to face the younger woman. "Enjoy being Kei-kun's girlfriend while you can, but ultimately it's not to be because I am his Promise Girl, not Naru-chan. He is destined to be with me!" With that Mutsumi ran up to the Inn, sobbing.

Shocked, Keitaro scratched the back of his head, remarking, "That went well, didn't it?"

Shinobu was panicking. Was Sempai having second thoughts about accepting her confession? It had gone so well, too well perhaps, and the ache in her chest was telling her that her dreams were on the precipice. She snuck a glimpse at her love, who seemed to be studying her face intently. As if he was reading her thoughts, Keitaro gently lifted her chin and kissed her with a tenderness that took her breath away. She slumped against him and whispered, "Is it really okay for me to be by your side, and not Mutsumi-sempai?"

"Of course it is. I wouldn't have accepted you if I wasn't sure that I wanted to be with you. Mutsumi is a friend. She torpedoed her chances when she kept pushing Narusegawa and me together. There was a time before Naru and I got together that I considered giving up on Narusegawa, and asking Mutsumi out. Luckily for you, Mutsu-chan had to smooth out the problem that Naru had with me and we started dating." He kissed Shinobu on the forehead. "You don't have to worry about Mutsu-chan. You only have to worry about Motoko killing me when we tell everyone that we are dating," he finished with a self-conscious laugh. The high school senior laughed and they continued up the insanely long staircase to the Hinata-sou.

Meanwhile in the inn, Motoko was pouring herself a glass of orange juice when Kitsune walked into the kitchen with her laptop under her arm. The young samurai asked, "Writing break?"

Kitsune nodded and asked, "Did ya see Melon-girl run upstairs? I'd a thought she wouldn't be able to run with those flotation devices attached to her front, but she booked it up the stairs like her ass was on fire."

Both women thought for a moment and their stomachs started to ache, and they asked in unison, "You don't think that…?"

Just then they heard Keitaro's usual cheerful, "I'm home!" They rushed quickly to the entryway, hoping that their suspicions were unfounded. Shinobu's pensive face bolstered those hopes until they saw the peace in their Kanrinrin's eyes. Kitsune took a deep breath as she exhaled, and said a single word, "Shhhhiiit."

Motoko's face was back to its normal mask. This was the face that she showed the world when she tried to hide her feelings. "I guess that's it then," she whispered stoically.

Hearts breaking, they watched as Keitaro flirted, joked, and coaxed a smile out of his date. It hurt like hell to watch the new couple touch each other lightly, whisper, smile, and glow as only a newly-formed couple can.

As Keitaro was about to greet them, Kaolla Su came flying through the air and wrapped herself around his head. "Hiya Keitaros, did you have fun with my Shinomu? Is she your girlfriend now?" He nodded, and Kaolla smiled, "Great! Now I can marry my two favorite people in the world!"

Keitaro spluttered, embarrassed, and Shinobu moved to corral her hyperactive best friend. "Su-chan, Shinobu and I just started dating. I want to enjoy dating a girl before I think about marriage," he explained.

Undeterred, Kaolla hugged his head between her thighs and said, "You can date me too. I can date Shinomu, and then we can go back to Molmol and get married when the time is right. Kaolla loves Keitaros and Shinobu so much!"

While Keitaro was flailing, trying to dislodge his head from the island princess' thighs, Shinobu tried to get her attention by saying, "I would share anything with you, Su-chan; anything but Sempai. I thought that we covered this last night. Japan is not Molmol. Polygamy is not only frowned upon, it's illegal."

No sooner were those words out of her mouth than Keitaro collapsed from being asphyxiated by the teen inventor's secret place. Kaolla bounced off unhurt, and gave her friend a hurt look, "Keitaro's breath made me tingly. Now, he has to marry me! Shinobu should share. There's enough of him for two. I'll just cut him in half so we both can have him!"

"That will kill even him, Su!" Shinobu yelled starting to lose what was left of her composure.

The foreign genius thought a moment, and then snapped her fingers, "That's it! I can clone you both so I can have you and Keitaros, and you will not have to share!" She cart-wheeled down the hall to her room/lab, leaving an unconscious Kanrinrin and an exasperated chef.

Shinobu sat down on next to Keitaro and tenderly brushed his bangs out of his eyes with her fingers. 'Why did I get so desperate with Su? It's not like Kei-kun would agree to her hare-brained scheme to marry us both anyway. I feel kinda bad that I didn't consider the other girls' feelings. I only thought of myself and my feelings for Kei-kun. Well, sitting here isn't going to get him to his room, now is it?' Aloud, she called, "Kitsune-sempai, Motoko-sempai, Su choked out Sempai. Could I get you to help me get him to his room please?"

Kitsune and Motoko walked into the entryway slowly. Kitsune spoke up first asking, "Would it have killed you to give us a chance to take him out once before you made the kill?" Motoko said nothing, but the pain was evident in her eyes as she helped the Fox pick up their landlord.

The young domestic's violet eyes widened. "No, I suppose that it would have been more fair if I had, but he accepted MY confession, and not anyone else's. This isn't some silly harem manga where the main character goes out with all the girls before picking one. I have been waiting for Sempai to see me as a woman since I was 13. The two of you had the advantage of being closer in age to him, but neither of you did anything with it. By the time that you realized your feelings, he was with Naru-sempai. I'm sorry that you are hurt because I love you both like sisters. However, I will not step aside nor retract my confession."

"We had hoped that those sisterly feelings would have inspired you to give us an opportunity to win his heart," Motoko stated stoically. "My heart tells me that nothing is permanent until you are Urashima are married, but my honor tells me to step aside. It's vexing."

Kitsune paused at Keitaro's door and motioned for Shinobu to open it. After placing him in his futon, she looked the younger girl in the eye, and said quietly, "I'm not honorable like Kendo Girl. I love you, Eep-chan, but I want your boyfriend, and I'm not giving up. He's the only man that I can trust and I want to be the one by his side."

With her first real smile since before finding Mutsumi, Shinobu grabbed Kitsune's hands and kissed them, "Well, Mitsune-sempai, I guess that I'll have make Sempai so happy that your attempts to seduce him will come to nothing."

The Fox gasped at her young friend's action and her cold words, and thought, 'Damn, I can't keep thinking that Shinobu is the same meek Eep-chan that we all know and love. She's taking this so seriously. But really, is there any man this girl can't get when she turns on the charm? That man ain't been born yet.' Composing herself, Kitsune smiled mischievously, "We shall have ta see 'bout that won't we, Shinobu-chan?"

"We _will_ have to see about that, Fox-san and Thieving Cat-san," said voice from the top of the stairs. Red-eyed from crying, Mutsumi descended the stairs. "I've cried all I'm going to, and I'm sorry to say that it will be my goal to make the two of you cry because Kei-kun is MINE. He just doesn't know it yet."

The two-longtime Hinata-sou residents looked in the wild eyes of the normally bubbly Okinawan and in unison thought, 'Oh shit, she's lost it.'

To be continued…

**A/N**: There you have it. There were some unison lines because I believe that these women have lived together so long that they could have the same thoughts at the same time. I've got ideas for about four more chapters before the end. I hope that you all enjoyed. Let me know, okay?


	6. Chapter 6: Romantic Scramble

A/N: Sorry that I haven't touched this story in a while. I really got into a Maria-sama ga Miteru fic that I had just started writing. I'm going to have some fun with Mutsumi and the usual Love Hina chaos. Please enjoy and let know how to make it better!

Disclaimer: This poor writer (in more ways than one) makes no claim on the characters in this story. I am not getting nor do I expect any financial gain. Ken Akamatsu is the creator and owner of the characters. I am merely torturing them for fun.

My Turn

Chapter 6: Romantic Scramble

After the dramatic announcement that Keitaro and Shinobu were now officially a couple; life in the Hinata-sou took a turn for the surreal. The house divided between those that supported their favorite friend pairing with Keitaro. Kaolla was a KeitaroXShinobu shipper. Sarah argued for KeitaroXMutsumi, and surprisingly, Motoko shipped KeitaroXKitsune, her former rival. The debates dominated mealtime conversations to the point that Keitaro began taking his meals in his room to avoid being the center of attention. Naru alone stayed out of the fray because she felt uncomfortable talking about which one of her friends should be with her ex-fiancé.

Of course, Shinobu thought all the debates were stupid and pointless because Keitaro had chosen her. "It's not like the other two could break us up," she remarked to her best friend, Kaolla Su after a couple of weeks. "I know that Sempai can be clumsy and unintentionally puts himself in compromising situations. I trust him and I believe in him."

The Molmolian princess nodded sagely and agreed, "No one loves Big Brother more than my Shinomu. I can help you get some time alone with him if you want."

"How would you do that, Kaolla-chan?" Shinobu asked excitedly.

Su smiled broadly and replied, "The three of us could fly to Molmol. No one would find us there and we could all have a proper honeymoon!"

"That sounds great…wait, what? What do you mean by honeymoon?" Shinobu asked. The banana lover whipped out a cell phone and quickly dialed a number. Suddenly, Shinobu heard a helicopter over the Inn. When it came closer, she could see a terrified Keitaro inside the aircraft. Turning to her friend, the young chef demanded, "You don't mean now, do you?"

Kaolla nodded her head, and grabbing her by waist, hurriedly scuttled up the now-dangling rope ladder. "Off to Molmol so I can marry Big Brother and my Shinobu!"

Motoko heard the helicopter and sent ki-blast that interrupted the rotors just strong enough to force the craft to land, much to the gratitude of Keitaro and Shinobu, who quickly climbed out onto the ground. "Trying to escape is cheating, Shinobu-chan! I stepped aside, but I will not allow dirty tricks to keep Kitsune-san from getting her chance at Kanrinrin-san," she said stoically.

Kaolla shook her head in disappointment, "Che, I was so close. Next time, I'll choose something quieter." The inventor dismissed the helicopter and slunk off to her room.

Meanwhile, Keitaro was sitting on the ground with a relieved Shinobu in his lap. Putting her arms around his neck, she kissed him gently before settling into his embrace. The couple sat like this for a few moments before the rest of the housemates arrived to survey the scene.

The first to arrive was Sarah, who looked at Keitaro and Shinobu, and spat, "Gross! Shinobu-san, quit doing such lovey dovey stuff with the dork. He's WAY too old for you!"

Mutsumi followed on her heels with her usual serene smile and added, "Ara, Kei-kun, do I get a turn on your lap? I haven't had my kiss today."

Shinobu shot her boyfriend a questioning glare to which he responded with his hands raised in innocence as he vigorously shook his head. The glare then melted into a look so loving that Keitaro's heart began to beat rapidly.

"Ugh," Kitsune's voice broke the tableau. "I come out to see what the ruckus was, and all I see is these two going all Tsukune and Moka on each other. Almost makes me feel like Kurumu." The house had been watching Rosario+Vampire because everyone enjoyed it, especially when they compared Keitaro to Tsukune.

Mutsumi thought a moment, and remarked absently, "I guess that makes me Mizore then, but shouldn't I be Kurumu? Don't I have the larger chest?"

"You aren't as sexually aggressive as I am," Kitsune countered." You're also more of a stalker than I am."

At this point, Shinobu had had enough and slowly began to drag her beau from the area, and left the others to discuss the anime. 'What more do I have to do to convince these women that we are together and they aren't going to break us up?' She growled in frustration, which caused Keitaro to lift her chin and give a kiss filled with affection. Suddenly jolted from her foul mood, Shinobu asked, "Are you happy with me, Kei-kun?"

"Of course I am Shinobu," he answered without hesitation. "You are the best thing to ever happen to me. I'm so glad that I accepted your confession. I cannot imagine life without you by my side."

Shinobu saw the sincerity in his deep brown eyes, "Au, Sempai, you really are the sweetest person ever!" She led him to her room and threw him on her futon, and asked with a smirk, "Shall I show you how happy that you make me?" Keitaro swallowed hard and nodded. She lowered herself to his lips and started to kiss him with increasing passion. Hands wandered and clothes began to disappear until her lover got nervous and pulled away, causing the violet-eyed girl to curse in disappointment, "Shit!"

Keitaro, stunned by their activities and by his girlfriend's irritation, whispered, "I'm not sure that I am ready for this yet, Shino-chan. I love you, but I would like our first time to be something romantic in a real bed next to the beach."

"Forget that," Shinobu snapped, "I want you now. I want to belong to you in every way possible. I want everyone to know that we belong to each other irrevocably."

Now knowing what this was all about, Keitaro kissed her on her forehead, "Shino-chan, we do belong to each other, but to rush into sex because you are feeling insecure is not something that I wish to do. I might be losing man points here, but I'm not rejecting you; I'm just delaying until you want to make love to me for no other reason than love itself. You have no idea how much this restraint is killing me, but I didn't lie, I want our first time to be more than just a fevered tumble in a futon."

Shinobu felt tears form in her eyes. 'He really treasures me! Or does he? Is he hesitating because of the others?' She looked into his and upon seeing the combination of sincerity, lust, and love, she relaxed. "Kei-kun, I have been waiting for you for a long time, and I can tell you that I am not just pushing this because I'm worried about the other residents. I am sincere in my desire to become one with you as soon as I can. It's not the shooting them down aspect that matters to me. You and me being together forever is what I dream about; what I really want more than anything."

Stunned by his younger girlfriend's passion, Keitaro thought a moment, and asked "How would you like to go to Atami this weekend? My clan has a seaside resort that has one of best beachfronts in the area. I would like to get out of the house and away from the insanity for a couple of days. What do you say?"

Now it was Shinobu's turn to be surprised, "I would love to go to Atami with you, Kei-kun. Why did you change your mind?" She asked.

Shooting her a look of pure desire, Keitaro answered, "Do you know how hard it is for me to keep from ravaging you? If it wasn't for the lack of privacy that the Sou affords, I probably would have said, 'Fuck it,' and jumped your bones a long time ago. Good gods, woman, do you have any idea what you do to me?"

"I can see the evidence of how hard it is," she responded slyly while looking at her lover's crotch. They both turned red and then laughed. "I love you, Urashima Keitaro, and you will not escape me this weekend. You, sir, owe me a debt, and I mean to see that you pay in full." They spent the rest of the afternoon kissing, talking, laughing, and falling more in love with each other.

Early evening found the Kanrinrin back in his own room, while Shinobu was preparing another award-winning dinner. He was studying every chance that he got because he was still trying to make up for missing so much time the previous year after breaking his leg and going on a Turtle Civilization expedition with Seta Noriyasu, his aunt/cousin's ex-boyfriend and his archeology professor. He was making good progress until he heard a soft knock on his door. Masking his irritation at being interrupted, he answered, "Come in."

It was Mutsumi, and she was wearing a low cut pink shirt that barely covered her ample bosom. "I was wondering how your studying was coming, Kei-kun. We have mid-terms coming up, and I thought that I'd come down and help you." She bent over the table, ostensibly to look at Keitaro's work, but in reality she was not wearing a bra, and giving her childhood friend a full unobstructed view of her awe-inspiring breasts.

While the young archeology student was trying to stifle a nosebleed and to keep another body part's reaction from being noticeable, he realized that the Okinawan had said "come" three times. He was dense, but he wasn't that dense. Mutsumi was being quite direct with her attempt to seduce him. "Um Mutsumi-san, could you please sit down so that I can finish this section. You are in my light."

"Ara, Kei-kun, am I bothering you? I was trying to help you with your studying or any other stress that you might have. I figured that you might be holding back from harvesting the flower that makes our meals because of her age, but I am quite ready to be plucked. This gift is only for you, and I will continue to offer it because I've always loved you, Kei-kun," Mutsumi finished, her voice husky with emotion.

Keitaro sighed, "Mutsumi, I cannot deny that you are beyond desirable, but I am with Shinobu now. I might have been with you now if you hadn't kept pushing me and Narusegawa together. I realized that you were better girlfriend material during the last big misunderstanding before I started dating Naru. I went to ask you out, but you decided that it was a good idea to help us work things out. Why the hell did you do that? You might even be my wife now if you hadn't done that. I decided that you didn't like me that way and that you had me firmly in the "friend zone," so I did what you wanted and didn't give up on Narusegawa like I should have. There is no one to blame for me dating Shinobu but you. So if you will excuse me, Mutsumi, I think that dinner is ready now."

As he stood up to leave his room, the melon loved grabbed his leg and began to cry, "Do you not think that I have kicked myself every day since I did that? I made a horrible mistake, which will only be fixed when I convince you that we belong together. There is no one else for me but you. I will not accept this as your final word, Kei-kun. We will be a couple because the gods have told me that this is our destiny."

"If we were destined to be together, why the hell did you pair me with Miss Punch First and Ask Questions Later?" Keitaro asked with exasperation. "We both know that I would have been happier with you than with Naru, but you pushed me away when my heart was turning to you. My destiny is now in the hands of a third-year high school student who dreams of training at Le Cordon Bleu. I will not hurt her. I will treasure as she has treasured me these four years."

Mutsumi slowly started to undress, staring at her crush the whole time. Eventually, she stood in front of him completely nude with her arms to her sides, giving him a full view of her body. "Does that thieving little cat have a figure that can compete with mine? Her breasts will never be as large. She is barely more developed than a middle schooler. I cannot believe that you would prefer that little girl to me. I love you, Kei-kun. Let me show you how much," she pleaded before launching herself at him.

As she felt his arms around her, the Okinawan fainted. While she was unconscious, the landlord dressed his childhood friend and carried her to her room. As he was leaving the young woman's room, Shinobu came around the corner. "Why are you coming out of Otohime-san's room?" She asked, concerned.

"She had one of her fainting spells. I felt that she should be resting in her own room. I'm not going to lie. She came on to me, but I turned her down, and when she tried to escalate her seduction attempt, she fainted," Keitaro explained without emotion.

Shinobu released the breath that she didn't realize that she was holding. She knew that she could trust her love; it was the other residents that she could not trust any further than she could throw them. Reaching her arms around his neck, she rewarded him for his honesty with a kiss, "Thank you for being straight with me on this. I will make sure that you don't regret it."

"I'll hold you to that promise," Keitaro murmured into her dark hair, causing the young chef to shiver with a thrill that went down her neck. "You'd better prepare yourself for this weekend because I'm not going to let you go."

Shinobu chuckled at the challenge in his voice, and she decided to pay him back in kind, "No, Kei-kun," she whispered sensually into his ear. "It's you that needs to prepare himself for me. I've four years worth of love in me, and I'm not going to let you sleep this weekend." They laughed and discussed their rendezvous; unaware that two other sets of ears heard their plans for a romantic get away. The two women in question knew that there was no way in hell that those plans would go uncontested.

To be continued…

**A/N**: It feels like it has been so long since I've written anything. I've had a computer get croaked by a child in my house, and I had to scramble to replace it. Life has just been crazy. I hope that this worth the wait. Please enjoy and let me know what you thought about this meager offering. Peace!


	7. Chapter 7: Atami Panic!

**A/N**: This story is not dead. I have been fighting plot bunnies, and I have another fic that is flowing better. BUT… I need to get back to this story as our couple is about spend a weekend together. I apologize for the wait. Enjoy and please let me know what you think!

**Disclaimer**: Love Hina is the brainchild of Ken Akamatsu. I just believe that Naru's character was a HUGE mistake.

My Turn

Chapter 7: Atami Panic!

Passing by Odawara, the last city of any size on the JR train from Hinata City to Atami, Shinobu leaned against her boyfriend with a contented smile on her face. She believed that she had successfully managed to divert the other girls from her and Keitaro's weekend escape plan. Each had a different place to go. Shinobu was visiting her parents in Tokyo (separate addresses, same city) and Keitaro was to go to Kyoto to visit his parents. Seemingly, everyone took the bait and the house relaxed.

Keitaro, on the other hand, was sure that Shinobu's plan, while good, did not eliminate the Kaolla Factor. Despite wanting to be married to both Keitaro and Shinobu, Kaolla Su could be bribed to engage her Keitaro Tracker for enough food. Each time that he had tried to escape in the past, the girls had enlisted the Molmolian princess' technical wizardry. 'I won't believe that we are home free until we pass through the gates to the estate,' he thought to himself.

As the scenery whizzed by, Shinobu began to recount the even that led up to this outing. Naru launched Keitaro into LEO for no reason. Shinobu decided to bring matters to a head. Naru dumped Keitaro and the petite chef made the first move. The other girls declared their intentions. She took her Sempai on a date, and he accepted her confession. 'Not the way that I hoped that my love story would go, but beggars can't be choosers.' It was a long, strange trip to this weekend when she and her beloved Sempai would become one. 'We WILL be losing our virginity this weekend or I will kill some people.'

In the next car behind them, three Hinata girls shivered with an ominous sense of foreboding. The fourth, Mutsumi, was shooting the bluenette death lasers, thinking, 'That should be _me_ on his arm, preparing to give him my maidenhead. I cannot believe that I was so short-sighted and let him think that I was friendzoning him. That Thieving Cat better watch out.'

The other three girls were trying to look at Shinobu and Keitaro as little as possible because it was too painful. Kitsune was reading a newspaper, Motoko was meditating, and Kaolla was watching Rosario+Vampire on her iPad. Mutsumi snorted derisively at them, "Don't you all realize what is at stake here? We cannot allow them to be alone this weekend!"

Kitsune sighed, "Of course we do, Sugah, but rushing in right now would spoil everything. If ya were looking at Kei-kun and not at Eep-chan, you would've noticed that he is on alert and looking for us."

"As much as it galls me to agree with Kitsune, she is correct, Otohime-san," Motoko added. "It is almost as if he can sense us. We must be subtle and strike at the right moment or all is lost."

Mutsumi flounced back into her seat, growling, "I will be the one taking Kei-kun's virginity on this trip, not that thieving little cat."

Kaolla's ears perked at the spiteful name by which the Okinawan had referred to Shinobu. "My Shinobu is not a thief or a cat. Keep calling her that and Molmol will declare war on you!"

"Melon Babe, do ya know how crazy that you've been sounding since Keitaro and Shinobu started dating. Ah almost wonder if ya need ta see a shrink like Naru-chan does," the resident fox drawled.

Mutsumi turned red and whispered, "I am not fucking crazy. Go crawl back into your favorite sake bottle, you alcoholic bitch!"

In an instant, Motoko leveled her bokken at the melon lover, and whispered warningly, "That will be enough of that unladylike language, Otohime-san. Neither Su nor I need to listen to profanity. If you have nothing intelligent to contribute, maybe you should refrain from speaking for a while."

Mutsumi glared at her, then with an evil look on her face, opened her bag, releasing Tama. "Tama-chan, Aoyama-san would like you to sit on her lap." The hot springs turtle cooed and began to fly toward the now-panicking Kendo Girl.

Kaolla matched Mutsumi's evil smirk when she saw the turtle and began chasing it. "If I can catch it, then Shinomu will make me turtle soup when she and Onii-chan get back!" Tama squeaked, and flew back to the antenna-haired Okinawan, who allowed the terrified animal to hide in her bag.

Mitsune had had enough, "You all need to calm down now! We are goin' ta be discovahed if y'all keep this up," she hissed. "Let's just pretend that we are good girls until we get ta where we are goin'.

Motoko, after having recovered from her turtle trauma, remarked sagely, "Good thinking, Kitsune-sempai. Let us just sit quietly and plan our next steps." The discussion continued until the train arrived at Atami with nothing decided except that they needed to pry Keitaro from Shinobu's side prior to anything happening.

Both Mutsumi and Kaolla wanted to kidnap Keitaro, but Kaolla wanted to take him back home to Molmol and Mutsumi wanted to take him to her family's mansion in Okinawa. Kitsune wanted to whisk him away to a bar and get him drunk enough that he passed out so they could take him to a love hotel, take turns having their way with him, and use photographic evidence to force him to break up with Shinobu. That plan was rejected because of the hurt that it would cause their favorite blue-haired domestic.

Meanwhile, the happy couple was completely unaware of the mischief being plotted in the next car. Shinobu smiled at her boyfriend, wondering what the Kami would require of her for granting her dearest wish. 'I have dreamed of being his girlfriend for so long, and in a few hours we will really become one.'

The train arrived at their destination and everyone got off and Keitaro led his girlfriend to an awaiting limousine to take them to the estate. The others called a taxi and asked the driver to follow them at a discreet distance. Unfortunately, the girls were too preoccupied to notice the lovely ocean scenery unfolding around them. They passed by the luxury resorts and were headed south through the more student budget-friendly beachfront motels. They soon noticed that they were moving along the coastline and were completely out of town. The limousine stopped in front of a humongous, gated mansion with the Urashima crest emblazoned on the iron fence at decorative intervals. The electric gate opened and the limo disappeared. After a few moments, the car reappeared, leaving through the gate.

Kitsune whistled, "Holy crap, that place is huge! It looks secure too. Su, do you think that you could get us in there?"

Kaolla, disinterested, spat disdainfully, "Who do you think I am? Of course I could. It would be a piece of cake, but I wonder why I should prevent my best friend's special night."

Thinking quickly, Mutsumi pulled a huge stalk of bananas out of her purse and waved it under the princess' nose. As Kaolla's mouth erupted with drool, the Okinawan smiled evilly, "You can have all of these if you get us inside."

"Nice thinkin', Melon Girl!" Kitsune exulted. Everyone knew that bananas were Kaolla's weakness.

Motoko nodded, "That was very well played, Otohime-san."

The women watched intently as the genius inventor fought an internal war. She wanted to protect Shinobu's time with her boyfriend, but she wanted the bananas more. 'Bananas, friendship, bananas, friendship,' she thought. Making her decision, she yelled, "BANANAS!" and grabbed the stalk from Mutsumi. Between bites, the Molmolian said, "This security shouldn't be too difficult for me to crack. It looks an early 1990s system. I'll have it done in less than thirty seconds."

True to her word, the blonde unlocked a side door, giving the group access to the compound. "It's HUGE!" Exclaimed Kitsune. And it was as the resort was twice the size of the Hinata. There were two hotels that had a luxurious, upper-class appeal, a humongous water park, and a large section of private beach. It made the seaside resort that they had spent a couple summers at look pathetic. "Whoa, the Urashima own _this_?" Kitsune asked, blown away. "Why does Kei-kun work so hard if his family is so rich?"

"Kanrinrin-san works so hard because it is his family that is wealthy, not him." Motoko replied sagely. "It is admirable that he wishes to make his own way in the world. I wish that I had seen the strength of his character sooner," the swordswoman finished wistfully.

Kitsune put a hand on her shoulder, "We all do, Sug. That's why Eep-chan was able to win his heart. She was the only one that saw the man for who he truly was, not what we thought a man of his age would be. He is really is one in a billion. That is why I haven't given up and why we all are in love with him."

Mutsumi bristled, "I do not know what you all are talking about. I have known Kei-kun since we were really little and I knew that he has the biggest, kindest, sweetest heart in the world." Deflating, she continued, "I just wish that I had taken my chance instead of trying to help Naru, the ungrateful witch."

The three women stood outside the open door a few moments before realizing that they were missing someone. The fox asked the question that they were all thinking, "Where the hell did Su bounce off ta now? Let's go in and try to catch up to her."

Kaolla, in the mean time, had found Keitaro and Shinobu, playing in the water park. They were sliding down the water slide in tandem with the chef being held securely by her lover, his arms just under her breasts. They had been taking baths at the Hinata for years, but Su was shocked to discover that her friend's chest had gotten larger, much larger. Shinobu now easily rivaled Naru in breast size. 'Damn, she might even be larger than Naru-sempai,' she thought, looking at her own small, perky breasts with disgust. 'When did she pass me by?'

Shinobu was in heaven. Playing at the water park was fun, but having Keitaro's strong arms holding her from behind felt so good. Happy did not even describe how she felt, especially when she noticed his instant reaction to her rubbing her petite bottom against his groin as they prepared to go down the slide. 'He feels really large there. This might be a bit difficult,' she thought with a shiver of pleasurable anticipation.

The young woman was nothing if not practical, and she had heard from classmates that the act of losing one's virginity was more about the emotions than the pleasure derived from it. Each person reported that the first time was uncomfortable at best and excruciating at worst, depending on the care that the guy took in making love. Hasty guys were not someone any of girls wished on each other. They would be rough and hurt their partner. Feeling how Keitaro held and how he treated her, Shinobu had no worries about their first time, other than her housemates trying to crash the party.

For Keitaro, the water slide was unbearable torture. The knowledge that there was only a thin piece of clothing between him and Shinobu's lovely frame made his body react in an ungentlemanly fashion. 'Down boy,' he chided himself. 'I hope that she does not feel this. I'm so embarrassed. Girls have it so easy. They can hide their arousal. It's not fair.' His girlfriend chuckled softly as if reading his thoughts and repositioned herself causing her soft buttocks to rub his middle. His face went red, and he tried to think about anything but the beautiful, sexy girl in his arms.

Deciding to let her man off the hook, Shinobu announced that she was done playing in the park. "Would you like for me to make us something to eat, Sempai?"

"You don't have to, Shino-chan. We have room service, and while your food is the best that I've ever eaten, I would like to you to relax this weekend and be spoiled for once like you have always spoiled me," Keitaro said gently, causing his blue-haired lover's toes to curl.

Snaking her arms around his neck, Shinobu kissed her lover with a gentle passion that made his heart race, "And that is why I love you, you big lug! I want to cook for you because I love making you smile. It has always been my joy. Besides, I don't want to be disturbed by someone knocking on our door," she finished with a smile that held a lot of promise.

"Well then, I shall take you up on your offer Miss Maehara (the title and name said in English). Shall we retire?" Keitaro asked offering his arm. He led his girlfriend to their room, which was a suite generally reserved for visiting royalty. It was elegantly appointed with all of the necessary amenities, including a fully stocked gourmet kitchen and a large bathroom that featured a Jacuzzi tub.

Granny Hina had given him special permission to use it with the command to make her some "beautiful great-grandchildren." Her other suggestion involved making the relationship even more permanent, and to that end, she provided her favorite grandson a gorgeous engagement ring with which to propose to the young domestic. When he spluttered, "Granny, we aren't ready for that yet," the matriarch reminded him of his responsibilities to Shinobu and the clan should she become pregnant.

'I love her with all my heart,' Keitaro thought. "But are we ready for marriage? We haven't been dating that long and Shino-chan isn't eighteen yet. If I ask, would it scare her away?'

Little did he know that Shinobu was fighting the same battle. She had wanted to be with Keitaro since she was thirteen, and she had even fantasized about being his wife, but were they both ready to take the plunge? She knew that this weekend in and of itself was a commitment and that it was NOT a safe time for her cycle-wise, but she had conveniently forgotten the condoms back at the Hinata. 'I am not afraid to have his child.' Shinobu told herself. 'It is one of my dreams, but is it what Sempai really wants?'

Shaking off those thoughts, Shinobu walked into the kitchen and nearly fainted. It was the kitchen of her dreams. All of the appliances were clad in hygienic stainless steel. The stove was actually a gas range that had an attached grill. The ingredients were fresh and finer than anything that she had ever worked with before. 'It would be shame to do something ordinary with all of this,' she thought excitedly. She set about making a dish that would have earned her a Michelin Star. The young chef had decided on making lobster paella and a black truffle panzanella salad with heirloom vegetables. For dessert, she made a Grand Marnier-infused chocolate mousse.

Keitaro was enchanted by the aromas emanating from the kitchen. After putting a bottle of Pinot Grigio and a bottle of Moscato on ice, he sat down at the table, marveling at the fine silver place setting. His mouth was watering and his stomach rumbled its approval as his lady love began to place the food on the table. Just as they were about to dig in, they noticed that they were no longer alone at the table.

"Kaolla?!" Shinobu gasped in surprise. "Why are you here? This is mine and Sempai's weekend away."

Turning puppy dog eyes on her best friend, the princess asked, "Can I have some, Shinomu? I love your cooking so much!" Shinobu sighed and made up a plate for her.

Keitaro was not as understanding and in an impatient voice asked, "Su, why are you here? Please tell me that the others are not here as well." 'There goes our special time,' he thought dejectedly.

"Well, Mutsumi-nee-chan gave me a stalk of bananas to get them in here because they wanted to stop you and Shinomu from having sex," the inventor answered while scratching her head.

Shinobu was furious, "Why the hell can't they leave us alone? Are they with you?"

Kaolla grinned broadly, "Nopes! I ditched them because they only paid me to get them in, not to find you!" She took a bite of her paella, and exclaimed, "This is so good, Shinobu! Marry me!"

Keitaro shivered, thinking, 'Kaolla Su, you are quite the frightening girl!' He shrugged and began to eat. "Whoa, this is incredible, Shino-chan! I've never tasted anything like this! You are even more amazing than I thought. Are you sure that you are not wasted on me?" A dull ache formed in his chest at the thought that she could do better than him.

Sensing her boyfriend's oncoming depression and ignoring her nosy friend, Shinobu walked over, sat in Keitaro's lap, grasped his face, looked him straight in the eyes, and replied, "No, Kei-kun, it is you who is wasted on me. If you were so worthless, would there be five women fighting over you? I don't think so. I love _you_, you geeky, low self-esteem having, gentle, kind, sexy man. I cannot do better than you nor will I look for someone else. I love you and I need nothing and no one else. Do you understand?" He nodded, transfixed. "Good boy," she purred as she kissed him, one hand playing with his hair and the other moving over his strong shoulders. When they finally separated, she noticed that Kaolla was red in the face and breathing hard. Shinobu smirked and then turned her attention back to Keitaro, "I think that it is time that we went to bed, don't you, Lover? Kaolla can see herself out, right Kaolla?" The Molmolian princess nodded vigorously and sprinted from the suite.

"I have never seen Shinobu look so beautiful," Kaolla said aloud as she ran into an elevator. "I hope that the others don't figure out that I know where Onii-chan is!" Just then the elevator door opened and the blonde was startled to see three really angry women. "Oops," she managed before being pulled out of the elevator, thinking, 'Oh shit…'

To be continued…

**A/N**: Sorry that it took so long to update, but the plot bunnies ate all of my carrots. I hope that it was worth the wait. By the way, there will not be lemons in this fic, limes yes, full on lemons, no. For those hoping for it, sorry. Please review and shout outs to those who reviewed: IdiAmeanDada, Shinobufan, Devil of Solitude, Laserai, mnemeth2000, JP Lake, Hektols, and a special thanks to MarioMan247 for reminding me of Shinobu's *Ahem* development. You all rock!


	8. Chapter 8: Two Become One

**A/N**: So sorry about the delay! I will try to do better in the future. I could use a second computer in my house. On with the show…

**Disclaimer**: Love Hina belongs to Akamatsu Ken and he retains all rights except to _this _little scenario, which came to me in a dream. Just kidding! I will not make any money off of this story, and I'm broke, so please don't sue!

My Turn

Chapter 8: Two Become One

"Su, ya damn traitor!" Kitsune yelled. The ash-haired freelancer had the princess by the arm. "What's tha idea ditching us like that?"

Kaolla giggled, rubbing the back of her head, and replied, "Well…you only paid me for infiltrating the resort, not to lead you to Shinobu and Onii-chan."

Motoko slowly and purposefully pulled her bokken from her belt, "Was it your intention to betray us the whole time?" The threat was unmistakable in the Shinmei-ryu heiress' voice.

"Cool yer jets, Kendo Girl," Kitsune interjected. "We cannot treat Su tha same way that you and Naru did Keitaro for far too long. She is our sister, even if she's being naughty."

Mutsumi had been casting a baleful eye toward the other women, finally saying, "The only thing that I need to know is where they are, Kaolla. I will give you whatever you ask if you could just lead me to them."

The blonde inventor's face changed as if she was deep in thought. Slowly, she responded, "I have almost everything in the world that I want except Onii-chan's sole attention and love. If _I_ can't have that, I would want Shinobu, my best friend, to have it. I have brought you this far only because I love you all too, but I will not help you stop Shinobu's special time. Sorry, bye byes," she finished suddenly disappearing.

Sinking to her knees, Mutsumi said softly, "I have lost. What in the name of all the gods have I been doing?"

"Same thing that we all have doing, Sugah," Kitsune said putting a comforting hand on the Okinawan's shoulder. "We have all been trying to catch up to Eep-chan. Our innocent little Shinobu knew what she wanted way before any of us did. She moved the moment that there was an opportunity. She also lacked our baggage."

The melon loving college student began to cry softy, "But I have loved him my whole life. I only gave him up for Naru because she was ill and she needed him more. I love him so much that it hurts to think about him being with someone else. I know that I went a bit crazy when Kei-kun started dating Shinobu-chan, but I couldn't handle the thought of him with anyone but myself or Naru. Naru, the stupid twit, fucked things up royally and I didn't find out until that girl swooped in and turned his head. Maybe I should go back to Okinawa and see what Mother has to say."

Motoko, moved by the older woman's tears, placed her hand on Mutsumi's shoulder. "It is not as if you are alone, Otohime-san. I also love Keitaro-san more than I thought that it would be possible for me to do. I hated him on sight and within months, I was imagining him holding me like he did at the end of our duel. I was too immature to recognize that I was falling for him, and when he started dating Narusegawa, I honorably stepped aside. Unfortunately for me, I could not make my feelings end, and they continued to grow to the point that I was fantasizing about our wedding and the consummation of our marriage. It hurts to see him with another woman, but what a woman our Shinobu has become! She is even more formidable than Aneue. I also think that some time back home in Kyoto is in order for me. Aneue might have some advice on how to finally give him up."

Mitsune was flabbergasted. The two most gung-ho searchers were surrendering without a fight. It was not that she could not understand where the others were coming from. She had also fallen hard for the Kanrinrin's clumsy charm and boyish innocence. Unlike the others, she was accustomed to hiding her feelings when a friend made a claim. The party girl persona that she had put on was a way to deal with the pain and loneliness that her loyalty to her friends brought her each time.

She shrugged not wanting to think about it any longer, "Let's just go home, ladies. Nothing good will come from staying here. It will just break our hearts more to see them together." The others nodded mutely, and the trio started to leave and realized that they did not know how to get out. Kitsune yelled, "Su, how the hell do we get out of here?"

Just then Mitsune's forgotten cell phone rang. It was Kaolla. "Have you all decided to go home?" The princess' voice asked on the other line.

"Yes, Sug," Kitsune answered. "Please just tell us how in the name of all gods that we can get out of this resort so we can return to the Sou."

There was a pause and the inventor replied, "Okies, first you get back on the elevator. Push the button for the third floor. Do not push the one or two buttons. They lead to the service areas underground. Once you leave the elevator, turn right. You will go to the end of the hall and turn left, which you will do three times at the hall intersections. You should see the door if you do that. Did you get that?"

Mitsune nodded, then realized that she was on a cell phone, and answered, "I think so. Thank you, Su. See you back home," she finished before hanging up. "Well ladies, shall we? There is sake to be drunk at the Hinata with our names on it. I vote that we do our best to become comfortably numb and soothe our broken hearts."

Mutsumi managed a wan smile, "I second that motion. Are there any objections? Seeing none, Konno Mitsune's motion passes. Let's go get plastered. Too bad this isn't like the end of Maburaho where we each could get our own Kei-kun," she said wistfully.

"Ah! I remember that anime," Mitsune interjected. "Yuna was a bit on the crazy side, wasn't she?"

Motoko mumbled, "I liked Rin. She was cool." The Shinmei-ryu heir blushed slightly as if caught admitting that she watched something other than period dramas.

"Ha ha," Kitsune laughed. "Kendo Girl, that's funny. Rin was a lot like you, wasn't she? Silent, but when it mattered, she was a serious ass-kicker with her sword magic." They laughed and then walked away sad, yet there was a feeling of camaraderie they had not felt in months.

Kaolla watched the older women leave and thought, 'That was the easy part. What comes next will be more painful.' She turned on her cameras in Keitaro's suite. The princess had not lied when she said that she was in love with him as well and that she had wanted him for herself. She also had honestly decided to step aside for Shinobu but that did not make what she was about to watch any easier or hurt any less.

_In Keitaro's Suite_

After Kaolla had left, the young lovers actually went back and finished dinner. Not so much because they were hungry, they ate because they were so nervous. They drank glass after glass of wine, but thanks to all of the drinking parties at the Sou and the rich food that they had eaten,they did not get drunk. They knew that their love was true. They knew that they both wanted this. Neither had a clue where to start.

Keitaro took a shower while Shinobu cleaned up the food. He had offered to help as always, but the bluenette shook her head, "No, Kei-kun, please take your bath first. I will take mine after you finish."

He finished his bath and walked in the living room area of the suite, saying softly, "Shino-chan, the bath is open." She grunted in acknowledgement, moving woodenly out of the room. The young landlord, clad only in a bathrobe, sat down on the sofa thinking about the road that brought them here. Naru's violent behavior, his decision, Shinobu's move, his acceptance, the roommate's reactions, the months of tension, the dates, the make-out sessions, and now they were at this resort in Atami, about to take each other's virginity. He shook his head, 'What a long, strange trip it has been. I know that this is right, and that this is the woman that I am meant to be with.' His only regrets were about Mutsumi. He still held on to hope that they could still be friends after all of this. 'I hope that it's not too late,' he thought forlornly. 'I hope that I haven't lost a friend.'

He noticed the wet bar, and considered making himself a drink, but he quickly changed his mind. 'I want to remember every second with her tonight. I want to remember every word spoken, every breath, so I have to be sober. He selected a bottle of ice-cold water, which actually did calm him slightly. 'I have to patient. I cannot hurt her. I want this to be perfect for her. She deserves it.'

In the bathroom, his lover was thinking along the same lines, 'I thank all of the ancient kami, Buddha, Jehovah, Jesus, Allah, every god large or small for letting me earn this man's love. If Naru-sempai had only known what she was pushing away, it might be her here with Kei-kun instead of me. If only Mutsumi-sempai wasn't so focused on keeping Naru and Sempai together, she might be here.'

She shook her head, doubts were the last thing that she needed right now. She wanted this night to be magical for Keitaro. 'He certainly deserves this. I have been waiting to be one with him since I was 13. Five years of wishing that I was older, had a better figure, of wishing that he would open his eyes to see that I was the girl that truly loved him unlike Naru who only loved having a devoted pet and punching bag. Five years of silently crying in my pillow when she was actually nice and affectionate toward him. Five years of praying for my chance, my turn. Mama, Papa, please forgive me. I know that you won't approve of what we are about to do, but this is promise of a lifetime, I can feel it.'

Shinobu got out of the bath, toweled off her body, and dried her hair. She checked that hair was not where it was not supposed to be. She brushed her teeth for the second time, just in case her breath had soured in the ten minutes since she had brushed them last. The young domestic put on a bathrobe, took a deep breath to steady her nerves, and went into the living room.

Keitaro was sitting on the sofa, waiting for her with a bottle of water. "Oh you bought me a drink, what a gentleman you are," she teased, causing her boyfriend to blush. After taking a quick sip of the proffered beverage, she slowly sat herself on his lap, gently sliding her arms over his shoulder, her hands joining together at the back of his neck. The violet-eyed woman tilted her chin upwards, and Keitaro, not having to be told, kissed her softly, tasting her sweet breath.

The kisses increased in intensity until they both were breathless. "I love you, Urashima Keitaro," Shinobu said panting. She opened her mouth to kiss him again. She moaned as his hands made their down her back to her bottom. "Maybe we ought to move this to the bedroom," she whispered.

"Are you sure, Shinobu?" Keitaro asked. "I don't want to do anything to hurt you. I love you."

Wordlessly, Shinobu got off his lap, took him by the hand, and led him into the bedroom. She pushed him onto the bed and began to shower his lips with delicate, fleeting kisses. Standing up, she let her bathrobe fall, exposing her lovely young body to his eyes. "I have never been more sure of anything in my life. Make me completely yours," Shinobu then sank down, lying on the bed next to him, "Take me."

"I will do my best not to hurt you, Love," Keitaro said, his voice heavy with desire.

Shinobu smiled, "It doesn't matter if it does hurt. The only thing matters to me is that we will finally be one: mind, body, and soul." He smiled before kissing her. Their night of love had finally started.

The next morning, the couple awoke to the smell of frying bacon and brewing coffee. They felt glorious and to be honest, a little silly about how they over-thought things before they made love. Keitaro was concerned when his love winced as she got out of bed, "Are you okay, Shinobu?"

She gave him a wan smile, "I'll let you know after I use the bathroom. You should license that thing as a concealed weapon." They laughed, kissed, and then went to take care of their morning business.

Neither of them paused to ask where the smell of breakfast was coming from until they went out into the living room of the suite and saw Kaolla in the kitchen, cooking. Seeing them, the Molmolian princess ran over and kissed them, Shinobu on the cheek, Keitaro full on the lips. "Good morning, wife, husband," she said happily.

"What do you mean, Su, husband and wife?" The Kanrinrin asked, confused.

Kaolla smiled, "Oh, I have filed our marriage papers in Molmol so we are all married now. Wife Shinobu, when do I get my turn with our husband?"

Now Shinobu was befuddled, "How can we be married in Molmol? Kei-kun and I haven't been there since before he and Naru started dating."

"I'm just kidding," Kaolla laughed. "We aren't married. I just wanted to see your reactions. I won't mess with your relationship anymore. However, please don't forget that polygamy _is_ legal in Molmol and that I love you both. This awesome offer is open ended: you will get all my wealth and this tight little body too. How can you resist?"

Keitaro had heard the brittle nature of his young friend's laughter, and hugged her tightly, "Thank you, Su. You will be the first one I call if Shinobu dumps me."

The blonde sniffed, "Thank you for that promise even though we both know that she will never dump you."

Keitaro felt her tears dampen his chest. Shinobu, now seeing that Kaolla was crying moved to hug her as well. "I love you, Kaolla, but I won't even share him with you. Sorry. Will you forgive me?"

"Nothing to forgive," she said between sobs. "I'm happy for you. I just have to hope that you will change your mind and marry me too."

Keitaro spluttered, "We haven't discussed marriage yet, Kaolla! I mean, I want to marry Shinobu when she is ready. I wanted to ask her when I know that she is ready for it."

The princess stopped crying, looked at her best friend, and both of them hit him on the back of his head, yelling in unison, "Baka!" Kaolla started laughing, "You sure are dumb, aren't you, Keitaro? This girl has been ready to marry you for five years. Me too, but she is the one who accidentally wrote Urashima Shinobu on one of her quizzes and got scolded by the teacher in both middle and in high school."

"You are sure that you want to spend the rest of your life with me?" He asked.

Shinobu leapt into his arms and ravaged his lips. "Does that answer your question? I would rather be your wife than a chef with two Michelin Stars. You are the man that I want to be with until I die, even if you are a little dense. I love you all the same."

"That settles that," Kaolla said brightly. "Now when do we plan our wedding?" Shinobu and Keitaro yelled at her, "Su! Kaolla!" Looking sheepish, she replied, "You can't blame a girl for trying, can you?" They all laughed.

_Epilogue_

"Hurry up, Daddy!" A young girl with blue hair and violet eyes yelled. "Mommy is about to be on TV!"

Her father ran into the living room, carrying her little brother. "Keiko, calm down. Mommy is on TV every week. You know that Shinosuke squirms when we change his diaper!" He calmly turned the television onto Cooking Channel Japan so that the family could watch "Every Day Japanese with Urashima Shinobu." Keitaro smiled fondly at the image of his wife.

They had married a couple of months after the trip to Atami. It was a joyous affair with none of the usual Hinata hijinks that made life so chaotic. Everyone knew that this was Shinobu's dream and they swallowed their own unrequited love for her groom and wished her well. They honeymooned in France, so that Shinobu could apply for Le Cordon Bleu and Keitaro could make a presentation on the Turtle Cult sites that he and Seta had discovered. He had earned his degree and had been awarded his first doctorate by Tokyo University for his work in archaeology. He earned his actual PhD at the University of Paris, where he studied while Shinobu was doing her coursework at the aforementioned famous cooking school.

He became a lecturer on the faculty at Todai, but he also traveled worldwide looking for more Turtle Cult ruins. Shinobu opened her first restaurant with help from her parents and Granny Hina, who had retired, leaving Keitaro the Sou and all of the Urashima assets. They were wealthy and in love, but they both loved to work hard. Within five years, Shinobu had had their first child and earned her first Michelin Star. Life was good.

As for the other girls, Mutsumi did get married and had twelve children, one for each month of the year. Her husband, an Okinawan melon farmer, was bit surprised at the strength in her insistence that they name their first son, Keitaro. Kitsune never married, but she became a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist in Los Angeles, where news of her romantic exploits scandalized her home country. Naru became a teacher at an all-girls school. She had 6 cats and she enjoys being single. Motoko gained international fame, winning a gold medal at the Olympics and at the World Kendo Championships. She took over the Shinmei-ryu school and is currently enjoying Kyoto's singles scene. As for Kaolla Su, she took the throne of Molmol when her brother and sister tragically died during a tantric sex session. The grief-stricken nation turned to the young princess to lead them, which she did just before declaring herself married to Keitaro and Shinobu. After their second child was born, Shinobu gave Kaolla her fondest wish, kind of, sending her bewildered husband to Molmol for three months, during which time, thanks to artificial insemination, the queen conceived her twin heirs, Kei Su and Shin Su. The boys are currently terrorizing their nannies. They have to have two because one nanny was not enough to handle the hyperactive toddlers.

Arriving back at their home late that evening, Shinobu checks on her sleeping children. They look and smell clean. The house is clean as well. After showering, the chef climbed into bed with her husband, who had small wisps of gray invading his black hair. She kissed his sleeping cheek, and thinks, 'I am so glad that I took full advantage of my turn.'

The End

**A/N:** Finally! Thank you for your patience. Now to finish Taking a Chance…well maybe.


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